Sept. 11, 2004
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.-Wagner's Warren Barnett scored on two short touchdown runs to lead the Seahawks over Marist 28-13 Saturday night at Leonidoff Field. The victory snapped a four-game winning streak in the series by the Red Foxes.
Wagner quarterback John Sciarra started the scoring for the Seahawks (2-0) when he scored on a two-yard plunge 3:32 into the contest to give Wagner a 7-0 lead.
Marist (0-2) answered minutes later when freshman running back Steven Whitlow (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) took a pass from senior quarterback James Luft (Lake Peekskill, N.Y.) with 6:01 remaining in the opening stanza.
Sciarra wasted no time getting back to work, leading Wagner on a nine-play drive culminating with a 25-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Mike Malik.
The two teams traded possessions until the Red Foxes answered the Seahawks when Luft rolled out on a naked bootleg and dove into the right corner of the end zone to bring Marist within one with just 19 seconds remaining in the half. However, the point-after attempt from freshman placekicker Bradley Rowe (Stratham, N.H.) was blocked, leaving the score 14-13 Wagner heading into halftime.
Wagner extended its lead to 21-13 on a two-yard plunge by Barnett with 3:49 to go in the third period.
Barnett salted the game away with a one-yard plunge with 4:00 to go in the game to give the Seahawks a two-touchdown advantage after the Red Foxes turned the ball over on downs.
Barnett hammered away at Marist all night with a game-high 170 yards rushing on 40 carries. Marist was led by Whitlow's 52 yards on 13 carries.
Marist junior Tim Traynor (Lincroft, N.J.) led the Red Foxes in receiving with 90 yards on four catches, while Wagner was led by Casey Smith's 43 yards on three catches.
Defensively, Marist senior linebacker Andrew Sperl led the way with 15 tackles, while fellow linebacker Mike Drury had his second impressive performance with 12 tackles and one forced fumble. Wagner's Craig Romano had 11 tackles, including one tackle for loss.
Sciarra went 12-for-24 on the evening for 126 yards and a touchdown. Luft led the Red Foxes through the air with nine completions in 13 attempts for 166 yards and a touchdown to do go with a pair of interceptions. Luft's nine completions gave him 134 for his career, moving him within one of tying Kevin Chartrand for second in the Marist I-AA record books. Junior wide receiver Guy Smith caught four of those tosses, giving him 60 catches for his career, moving him past Chris D'Autorio for second all-time in the school's I-AA record book.
The Red Foxes will have a bye week next Saturday before facing the Gaels of Iona on Saturday, September 25th at 7:00 p.m. at Leonidoff Field.
